Cinching girdle



Feb. `26, 1957 A|` GdLDsTElN cINcHING GIRDLE Filed Dec. 14, 1954 f MW ` ATTORNEY d 2 l l a United States Patent O CINCHING GIRDLE Arthur Goldstein, New York, N. Y., assigner to Tru Balance Corsets, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application December 14, 1954, Serial No. 475,050

6 Claims. (Cl. 2-28) This invention relates to undergarments, such as girdies, and more particularly to cinching girdles.

It is an object of my invention to provide in an undergarment, whether in the form of a foundation garment or a girdle, a differential cinching and molding efI'ect at the waistline, while at the same time molding the hips yieldably with comfort.

Still more particularly it is an object of my invention to provide a girdle which constricts the waistline in greater proportion than it constricts to mold the thighs and hips 'and to elfect such shaping with comfort, yieldability and continuity of outline, resulting in a smooth, continuous desirable form, and minimizing abrupt bulges in the areas of differential elasticity of the garment.

To attain these objects and such further objects as may appear herein or be hereinafter pointed out, I make reference to the accompanying drawing, forming a part hereof in which- Figure 1 is a three quarter front perspective view illustrating a garment in accordance with my invention;

Figure 2 is a three quarter rear perspective view of the same;

Figure 3 is a magnified lsection taken on the line 3-3 of Figure l in the contracted position of the garment;

Figure 4 is a section on the line 4 4 of Figure l;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary magnified view on the line 5-5 of Figure l;

Figure 6 is a magnified section on the line 6-6 of Figure 2;

Figure 7 is a magnified section on the line 7-7 of Figure 2.

Making reference to the drawing, I `show the garment in accordance with my invention in the form of a girdle 10 comprising a waistline portion 11 and a thigh encircling portion 12. The waistline encircling portion, extending over the midriff covering portion of the garment, constitutes a plurality of upper gussets 13 and lower gussets 14, each of gene-rally trapezoidal contour and made of l one-way stretch elastic fabric. The gussets 13 and 14 are joined to each other to extend each of their larger bases 15 and 16 of the trapezoids in opposed relation to each other and to join each of the semi-bases `or smaller bases 17 and 18 of the trapezoids to each other by the seam line 19. The elastic thread of the gussets 13 and 14 is arranged in the direction of the arrows 20, 21. The angular sides of the segments 13 and 14 are joined to each other by seams 22 to provide a front upper panel 23 and a rear upper panel 24 of the composite gussets 13 and 14, respectively.

With the upper panels thus provided, a differential elasticity is effected by superimposing along and in parallelism with the seam line 19 of each panel a pair `of elastic bands 25, extending from the side edges 26 and 27 of the front panel 23, and 26a and 27a of the rear panel 24. Thereupon, ribbons 28 are sewn over the vertical seams 22 to provide stay pockets. Into these stay pockets are disposed the stays 29, extending from the upper edge 15 to the lower edge 16. v

With this construction there is then attached the thigh Vsegments comprising the lower front panel 30 and the lower rear panel 31. These lower panels preferably are made of two-way stretch fabric and have their side edges 32, 33 of the lower front panel and the side edges 32a, 33a of the lower rear panel cooperatively contoured to provide the desired thigh encircling outline. Thereupon, the front upper panel 23 and the front lower panel 30 are joined to each other to overlap, so that the upper edge 34 is `spaced from the edge 16 to provide an overhanging skirt 35. The overlapping portions of the upper and lower panels are joined to each other by stitching comprising a pair of rows of elastic zig-zag stitches 36. These rows are spaced sufficiently from the edge 34 to leave the skirt 35 as described.

Desirably, the two-way stretch material of the lower front and lower rear panels are made of two-way stretch warp knit elastic fabric, with the primary elasticity in a line parallel to the waistline seam 19. Localized elasticity of greater magnitude is likewise desirably given to the lower front panel 30 by underlaying reinforcing inserts 37. These inserts are desirably made of two-way stretch warp knit fabric, the edges of which 38 extend from the overlapping seam 36 to the bottom edge 39 and are contoured laterally generally to follow the groin line from above the publis to the hip line. The underlay 37 may be formed =by making the panel 30 of two segments each having folds 37a joined by rows of stitches 37b.'

With the upper and lower panels so assembled to each other, the front panel assembly and the rear panel assembly are united by the fagotted seam 40 on one side, land by the combined fagotted seam 41 and slide fastener closure, such as a row of cooperative zippers, 42, on the other portion of the edges for the open seam 42a.

Additionally, the seam 40 from adjacent the lower skirt edge 16 to the upper edge 15 is provided with an edge stitched-down ribbon 43 forming a stay pocket 44 into which may be positioned a stay or whalebone.

Adjacent one edge of the closure 42 and extending substantially from the skirt portion 35 upwardly to the top, there is underlaid a flap 44a sewn to one panel to provide adjacent the inner edge a stay pocket 45 and inserted stay, and extending at its free edge to provide a carrier for eyelets 46, cooperating with the hooks 47 on the complemental edge 42b to serve as an initial closure for the edges forming the open seam 42a.

The bottom edge 39 of the girdle may be provided with a plurality of hose supporters 48, removably attached to this edge by buttons or the like, in a manner which will 'be readily understood.

It will Vbe understood that while I have disclosed and -described the garment in the form of a girdle including a waistline portion, a diaphragm encircling 'band and a hip encircling Iband to one side of a thigh encircling portion, l may form this construction as part of a foundation garment that carries with it at its upper portion Ibrassiere sections and shoulder straps, in a manner which will be readily understood.

It will be further understood that while the gusset segments 13 and 14 entering into the formation of the waistband forming member may each be made of one-way stretch fabric, i may, particularly for the row of gussets 15 comprising the hip encircling portion thereof, make these gussets of two-way stretch elastic fabric. Preferably these two-way stretch elastic fabric segments are made of warp knit two-way stretch elastic fabric having the primary elasticity in the horizontal direction and the secondary elasticity low magnitude in the vertical direction.

In either of the forms of the preferred construction ice employing an overhanging skirt 35 between the waistband member comprising the hip encircling band portion thereof, I secure a attening eiIect of continuous outline, avoiding the 'bulges incident to a differential elasticity in the thigh encircling portion as compared with the hip encircling band. Body bulges adjacent the meeting line are completely eliminated, notwithstanding the differential elasticity between the waist encircling `band and the thigh encircling portion.

Having thus described my invention and illustrated its use, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A cinching girdle having, in combination, a waist- Iine encircling portion extending over the midriff covering portion of the garment and thigh encircling portion, said wai-stline portion comprising elastic waistbandl members to each side of which are oppositely ilared bands comprising trapezoidally outlined sections of shaping gussets extending upwardly to provide a diaphragm cncircling Vband, and extending downwardly to provide a hip `encircling band portion, said thigh encircling portion being seamed adjacent the upper edge thereof to the lower edge of the hip encircling band portion and being of diierentially expansive elastic fabrics.

2. A girdle in accordance with claim 1 wherein said hip band portion overlaps said thigh encircling portion to provide an overlapping skirt.

V3. A girdle in accordance with claim l wherein said waistband member comprises gussets, each of which is made of oneway stretch elastic fabric extensible in a plane parallel to the waistband members.

4. A cinching girdle having, in combination, a Waistline encircling portion extending over the midriif covering portion of the garment and thigh encircling portion, said waistline portion comprising elastic waistband members to each sideof which are oppositelyl flared bands comprising trapezoidally outlined sections of shaping gussets extending upwardly to provide a diaphragm encircling band, and extending downwardly to provide a hip encircling band portion, said thigh encircling portion being seamed adjacent the upper edge thereof to the lower edge of the hip encircling 'band portion and being of differentially expansive elastic fabrics, saidhip encincling band oyerlapping said thigh encircling portion, to leave an unattached skirt portion, and said waist shaping gusset c onstituting oneway stretch fabric, extensible substantially parallel to the waistband, members, and said thigh encircling portion constituting two-way `stretch fabric.

5. A girdle in accordance with claim 4 wherein said thigh encircling portion constitutes a plurality of knitted two-way stretch front and rear panels, the front panel having increased stretch resistant elasticity.

6. A girdle in accordance with claim 4 wherein said thigh encircling portion constitutes a plurality of knittedv two-way stretch front and rear panels, the front panel having increased `stretch resistant elasticity comprising an overlying layer of elastic fabric within an area localized substantially adjacent the limits of the groin covering portion.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 824,605 Van Orden June 26, 1906 1,104,664 Guggenheim July 2l, 1914 2,261,547 Goodman et a1. Nov. 4, 1941 2,529,115 Thalrnan Nov. 7, 1,950 2,637,033 Kaupp May 5, 1953 

